Elapsed time printer



April 4, 1939.

L. S. HARRISON ELAPSED TIME PRINTER 4She ets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18, 1936 FIG. 4

( INVENTCR A'ILTORNEY L. S. HARRISON ELAPSED TIME PRINTEH' Filed Sept. 18, 1936 4 Sheets-Shet 3 FIGS.

am we A935 5 m r 2 L s 2 03 a E m. 7 27 M35 99 a 0 M 2; u M a 1 m; a 2/ m April 4, 1939.

April 1939- L, s. HARRISON 2,153,185

ELAPSED TIME PRINTER Filed Sept 18, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I mil/110111111111;

INVENTOR fgz ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 4, 1939 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELAPSED TIME PRINTER laurence S. Harrison, Hartsdale, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines tion, New York, N. Y" a corporation 0! New York Application September 18, 1936, Serial No. 101,371

90lalms.

This case relates to elapsed time recorders. The object of the invention is to provide a single time train and recording elements operated thereby to automatically provide an elapsed matic accompaniment to the recording operation; but after the record has been made.

Another object is to provide means for recording the actual clock time without interterence from the resetting operation of the elapsedtime recording means.

Other objects will appear from the following parts oi the specification and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. I is a; plan view of the type head of the recorder with the casing removed,

Figs. 2, 3', and 4 are sections, respectively, on lines 2-2, 3-4, and of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical, front sectional view through the recorder,

Mg. 6 shows a ticket on which the "elapsedtime andcio'c'k time are printed by the recorderand on which the car and operator numbers are written in,

Fig. 7 is a section on lines i--1 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 8 is a section on lines 8-8 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 9 is a detail section along lines 99 of Fig. 5.

Besides recording elapsed time, it is desired to record the actual clock'time. To avoid interi'erence between the two recording means, when the elapsed time recording means is reset, it is desirable to provide separate time trains and driving motors for the two' recording means. The

driving motors aret of the ordinary synchronous type used 'to drive a secondary clock movement. -c:iReferring to Figs. land 5, motors l0 and ll respectively drive the actual clock time and the elapsed time trains. The actual clock time train will bedescribed first. 0n, the shaft of motor Ions-a single point spiral cam engaged by a follower .lever l3 secured to a shaft It... Cam." makes one revolution per minute and lever Iii-drops of! the high point of 55 the cam once each minute. causing countersetting the elapsed time elements as an auto-,

clockwise movement of shaitll. Also fixed to:

shaft H is a lever ll (Figs, 1 and 7) pivotally mounting a pawl It urged by a spring l'l towardstance or one step, Wheel [8 has sixty teeth, each representing a minute. Thus, wheel l8- makes one revolution'per-houri' j Hub l8 (see Fig.8) of wheel llrigidlycarries atype wheel 28 which ha'slt'ype' 0 to 959 for printing the minutes of. clock time, fliredt'o hub is oi wheel i8" is a singiepoint'spiral cam 22 (seel 'igs lgand'l) engaged by azi'o'llower lever 23, the hub 2tof' which is rotatably mounted on a toothed wheel l3. As shaft it andlever l5} rock counterclockwise, pawl it engages a tooth 1 of wheel I! to rotate the: latter one tooth dis-" a rod 25 Rigidly carried by hub- 24*"is an arm 28 having' a dog 2'!" (Figs. 5-- and 7) for engaging a toothedwheel 28; Pivotally'carried by'the outer end offlarm' 28 is a pawl 38having-a tooth 30a (Fig; 7) and urged to engage wheel 28 by a spring 3 ihetween the pawl and its carrying arm. Wheel 28=is normally locked by a tooth 32 on an arm 33 pivoted 'at 31 and connected by a spring 35 to armit. When follower lever 23 dropsoilf the point of cam 22, pawl 38 descends, its tooth 30a cams against the left side of a pin 36 provided on the free end of lock arm 33 and rocks the latter arm clockwise to release its tooth 32 from wheel 28; At the same time, pawl tooth 30a engages a tooth of wheel 28 and moves the latter through one tooth distance, at the end of which the wheel is engaged by dog 21, carried by arm 26, to prevent overthrow of the wheel. Wheel 28 has twenty-four teeth, and since it is moved by pawl 88 once for each revolution of sixty minute wheel i8, each tooth of wheel 28 represents one hour. Thus, wheel l8 as it makes a single revolution during one hour transfers a step of movement to hour wheel 28.

Wheel 28 is rigidly carried, by the hub 38 of a type wheel 40 (see Figs. 1 and 8) which has type 0 to 24 for recording the clock time in hours alongside the record in minutes made by minute type wheel 20. c

The elapsed time train will now be described. The shaft of motor I i of the elapsed time train rigidly carries a ten point cam 42 (see Figs. 1, 3, and 5) which makes-one revolution per minute. Engaged with cam 42 is a follower 43 the hub of which is rotatably carried by rod 25. Also rotatably carried by rod 25 and secured'to follower 431s an arm 44. Arm 44 and the connected follower 43 are urged clockwise (Fig. 3) by a spring 45 connected to arm 4|. Pivotally carried by arm 44 is a pawl 46 held by a spring 41 towards a toothed wheel 48. Since cam 42 makes one revolution per minute and has ten points, cam follower 43 will drop off a high point ten times each minute and pawl 48 will advance wheel 48 a tooth distance each tenth of a minute. Wheel 48 has sixty teeth, each representing one-tenth of a minute.

Wheel 48 ls rigidly secured to the hub 48 (see Figs. 3 and 8) of a type wheel 58 which has sixty type corresponding to the teeth of wheel 48 for recording tenths of minutes. The type of wheel 58 are arranged in six recurring series, each series having ten type for recording 0 to 9 tenths of a minute.

Rigidly carried by hub 48 of wheel is a six point cam 5| (Figs. 3 and 8) coacting with a follower 52. Each lobe of cam 5| occupies an arc coextensive with a group of .8 to .9 type of wheel 58. Thus, when type wheel 58 passes from the .9 type position of any of its six series of type to the following .0 type position, follower 52 drops off the point of a cam lobe. Accordingly follower 52 will rock clockwise once each minute.

Follower 52 is rotatably carried by shaft l4. Also rotatably about shaft I4 is a lever 58 (see Fig. 4) connected to follower 52 at 54 for common movement with the follower. A spring 55 connected to lever 58 urges the latter and follower 52 counterclockwise (Figs. 3 and 4). The free end of lever 58 pivotally carries a feed pawl 58 urged by a spring 51 to engage its nose with the teeth of a wheel 58 (see Figs. 1, 4, and 8). When follower 52 drops off a point of cam 5|, lever 53 rocks counterclockwise (Fig- 4) and pawl 58 moves wheel 58 through one tooth distance. Since follower 52 drops off a cam point once each minute, wheel 58 will be moved at minute intervals. Wheel 58 has sixty teeth and, therefore, makes one revolution per hour.

Wheel 58 is rigidly carried by the hub 58 of a type wheel 88 which has sixty type spaced correspondingly to the teeth of wheel 58 and adapted to record "0 to 59 minutes of elapsed time.

Type wheel 58 records tenths of minutes and type wheel 88 records minutes of elapsed time, no provision being made to record more than an hour of elapsed time. During a minute interval, type wheel 88 remains stationary with one of its type at printing position. During the same minute interval, type wheel 58 moves ten steps and an entire series of type .0 to .9 passes printing position. Thus a recording operation will effect printing of the elapsed time from wheels 88 and 58 of a certain minute of time "0 to 59 depending on the minute position of wheel 88 plus either .0 to .9" of a minute depending on the tenth of a minute position of wheel 58.

Toothed wheel 58 which moves at minute intervals and makes one revolution per hour meshes with a gear 82 (Figs. 1, 5, and 8) fast to a shaft 88 which also rigidly mounts a pinion 84. .Pinion 84 meshes with a gear on a shaft 88 which rigidly carries an indicator hand 81 (Fig. 1). The ratio of the gearing between wheel 58 and shaft 88 is one-to-one so that hand 81 moves at minute intervals and makes one revolution per hour. Indicator hand 81 cooperates with an indicating dial (not shown) to indicate the minutes of elapsed time.

The means ,for taking an impression from type wheels 28, 48, 88, and 88 and the means for causing successive impressions to be made on successive lines of the record card C (Fig. 6) are such as disclosed in Patent 510. 1,299,187.

Briefly, referring to Fig. 5, a shaft 18 carries, outside the machine casing, an operating handle 1| which is depressed against resistance of a spring 12 connected to the shaft. Fastened to shaft 18 is double arm plate 13 (Figs. 5 and 9) one arm of which is swiveled to a bell crank 14. The upper end of crank 14 has a stud 18 seated in a recess formed at the free end of an arm 18 pivotally carried by a rod 11 secured to a lever 18. The left end of lever 18 (Fig. 5) has a pin 18 riding in a vertical slot of a slidable frame 88 the upper end of which mounts a rubber platen 82.

A spring 88 is connected to arm 18 to maintain the latter engaged with stud 15 of bell crank 14. Another spring 84 is connected to rod 11 of lever 18 to urge the lever clockwise (Fig. 5).

When handle 1| is depressed, plate 18 rocks bell crank 14 clockwise (Fig. 5), and stud 15 of the bell crank forces arm 18 to the right. As arm 18 moves to the right, it rocks lever 18 counterclockwise, causing spring 84 to stretch. Lever 18 rocks counterclockwise until a pin 88 thereon strikes the upper edge of arm 18 and depresses the arm below stud 15 of bell crank 14. This releases the arm from the restraint of hell crank 14 and likewise releases lever 18 for clockwise rocking by spring 84. As lever 18 rocks clockwise, its stud 18 acts on frame 88 to force platen 82 upwardly, and the platen effects printing by type wheels 28, 48, 58, and 88 on the record card through an inking ribbon (not shown) plate to bell crank 14.

The printing operation is thus effected during the downstroke of handle 1|.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 9, a link 88 is connected to double arm plate 18 of shaft 18, at the opposite end from the connection of the Link 88, as disclosed in Patent No. 1,299,197 is connected to the ribbon feeding mechanism (not shown herein). For present purposes, link 88 is also provided at its upper end with a horizontally bent lug 88 underlying a similar lug 88 (see Figs. 2 and 5) of a slidable link 8|. The upper end of link 8| is pivoted to a rack sector 82 which meshes with a pinion 88 fast to its shaft 84. Shaft 84 freely passes through hubs 38, 48, and 58 of type wheels 48, 58, and 88.

Type wheels 58 and 88 pivotally carry resetting pawls 81 (see Figs. 3, 4, and 8) adapted to coact with notched portion 88 of shaft 84. Springs 88, each acting on one of the resetting pawls 81, urge the pawl noses into engagement with the periphery of shaft 84. During time-driven movements of wheels 58 and 88, the latter rotate clockwise (Figs. 3 and 4) and the teeth of pawls 81 coast freely over. the notched portion of shaft 84. In the resetting operation, shaft 84 is given a single revolution clockwise, during which the radial wall of notch 88 meets the teeth of pawl: 81 and forces the latter and their carrying wheels 58 and 88 to rotate with shaft 84 until the latter completes its revolution. At the end of this revolution of shaft 84, the latter will have moved type wheels 58 and 88 to their starting or zero positions.

Shaft 84 is given a single resetting revolution during the return stroke of operating handle 1| of theimpression effecting means, after the record has been printed. During the down stroke of handle 1|, the record was printed, as explained previously. When handle 1| is moved through its down stroke, its shaft 18 rocks in a direction to elevate link 88 (Flgs.'5 and 9). As link 88 mom upwardly, its lug 99 meets lug 90 of link (Fig. 2) and forces the latter upwardly, rocking the sector 92 clockwise to effect a revolution in a counterclockwise direction of pinion 93 and reset shaft 94. During this action of sector 92, a spring I00 connected thereto is stretched. The notch 98 of reset shaft 94 during counterclockwise rotation ratchets past the teeth of reset pawls 91, without effect on type wheels 50 and 00.

Thus, the down stroke of handle H results in effecting a printing operation and in stretching spring l00 which is to supply the power for resetting the type wheels'50 and 60.

Upon the upward, return, stroke of handle 'Il, plate 13 rocks clockwise (Fig. 9), causing link 08 to descend. This permits link 0| to follow as spring I00 relaxes. As link 9i returns downwardly to its initial position, rack sector 92 rocks counterclockwise causing pin 93 and reset shaft 94 to make a single revolution in a clockwise direction. During this revolution of shaft 94, its notch 99 engages the nose of each resetting pawl 91 to move type wheels 50 and 60 ahead to their zero positions.

The return stroke of the operating handle and connected parts may be suitably dampened to prevent too abrupt return operation of rack sector 92 and the parts operated thereby.

In above manner, the elapsed time recording elements 50 and 80 are automatically reset-as an incident to recording operation but after the record has been printed. The clock time type wheels 20 and 40 remain undisturbed. Following the return of the elapsed time type wheels 50 and 00 to starting position, their timed operation resumes to furnish the elapsed time till the next recording operation.

Summary An application of the invention is in recording the head-way between busses, cars, or the like, passing a recording station along their route. As a car arrives at the station, the inspector or timer writes in the car and operator numbers on a line of the record card C (Fig. 6) and then inserts the card between guides I02 and I03 (Fig. 5). He then depresses handle Ii, causing the recording on the aforesaid line of the record card of the actual clock time in hours and minutes by type wheels 20 and 40 and of the elapsed time in minutes and tenths of minutes by type wheels 50 and 50. Upon the return stroke of the impression-effecting means, reset shaft 94 rotates clockwise (Figs. 2, 3, and 4) to reset the elapsed time type wheels 50 and 60 to their zero positions. As the type wheels 50 and 60 are reset, the parts connected thereto for common movement, including toothed wheels 48 and 58 and indicator hand Bl are similarly reset to zero positions.

While the invention has been disclosed in the preferred form. it is to be understood that variations, changes, and departures from the disclosed form or from its details may be made without departing from the invention. It is therefor intended to be limited only as indicated by the following claims.

I claim:-.

1. An elapsed time recorder comprising type elements, 2. time train for driving said elements amounts, corresponding to elapsed times, from a starting position, a platen opposite the type elements, reciprocating means operating during the forward stroke for causing the platen to strike ating during the return stroke to cause return of the platen after the printing operation, and devices controlled by the reciprocating means during the return stroke for automatically restoring the type elements, after the printing operation, to the starting position. I

2. An elapsed time recorder comprising type elements, a time drive for driving theelements amounts, corresponding to elapsed times, from a starting position, a platen facing the type elements, manually operated means for causing reciprocation of the platen to effect printing cooperation between the platen and type elements during the forward stroke of the platen to print the elapsed time, and automatically driven devices controlled by the manually operated means for automatically operating during the return strokes of the platen to restore the type-elements vices controlled by the shaft during the return stroke of the latter automatically to restore the type elements, after the printing operation, to starting position.

4. An elapsed time recorder comprising type elements, a time drive for moving the elements amounts, corresponding to elapsed times, from a starting position, a reciprocatabie printing manual, impression-effecting means controlled by the printing manual to strike the type elements during the forward stroke to print the elapsed time, automatic restoring means for restoring the type elements to the starting position, and means operated by the manual during the forward stroke thereof for conditioning the restoring means automatically to restore the type elements to starting position after the printing'operation.

5. An elapsed time recorder comprising type elements, a time drive for moving the elements amounts, corresponding to elapsed times, from a starting position, a manual device, impressioneifecting means controlled by the device for cooperating with the type elements to print the elapsed time, restoring means for restoring the type elements to starting position, a spring for automatically actuating the restoring means to restore the type elements, and means controlled by the manual device for energizing said spring during the printing operation and for releasing said spring after the printing operation to expend its energy in automatically actuating the restoring means to restore the type elements.

6. An elapsed time recorder comprising timecontrolled type elements advanced from a starting position in accordance with elapsed time, impression-takirig means coacting with the type elements to print elapsed time, manual means for causing operation of the impression-taking means, and automatic restoring means controlled by the manual means for automatically restoring the type elements to the starting position after the printing operation. I

7. An elapsed time printing device, comprising printing means, time-controlled means for mov-- ing the printing means through an elapsed time cycle, meansoperable at any point of the cycle for effecting printing of the elapsed time since the beginning of the cycle by the printing means, and means automatically effective after the printmeans to print the elapsed time from the beginning of the cycle, and devices automatically operable under control of the aforesaid apparatus and after the printing operation for starting a new elapsed time cycle 01' the printing means.

9. An elapsed time recorder comprising a set of clock time type wheels and a set of elapsed time type wheels mounted !or rotation about a common axis, a platen tor cooperating with both sets of wheels to print a record of the clock time and elapsed time along a single line, automatically operating resetting means to reset automatically only the elapsed time wheels without disturbing the position of the set of clock time wheels, an operating handle, means controlled thereby tor operating the platen to print said record, and means also controlled by the operating handle ior causing the resetting means, after the record has been printed, to reset automatically only the elapsed time type wheels.

LAURENCE SVHARRISON. 

